Cleaning cassette for use in a cassette tape recorder

ABSTRACT

A clean cassette for cassette tape recorders comprising a holder for a cleaning member, which holder is pivotally connected at one end with a spring-biased pivot arm. The opposite end of the spring-biased pivot arm engages a cam device which in the operative position of the cassette is engaged by one coil shaft of the tape recorder. The opposite end of the holder is intermittently engageable with a second pivot arm. The second pivot arm is influenced in the operative position by a second cam device engaged by the second coil shaft of the tape recorder. Upon actuation of the second coil shaft, an end of the second pivot arm moves the holder against the action of the spring bias of the first pivot arm.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present relates to cleaning cassettes for use in a cassette taperecorders generally and more particularly, to cleaning cassettes havinga cleaning member which undergoes movement during cleaning operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

From DE-A-1,937,152 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,214 and 4,149,206 cleaningcassettes of this kind are known, in which the drive means for themovable cleaning member, i.e. the pivot arm and the cam device, arebrought into engagement with one of the coil shafts of the tape recorderintroduced into the cassette casing in the operative position of thecassette. In non-reversing cassette tape recorders, in which only theshaft for the winding coil of a usual tape cassette is in driveconnection with the motor of the tape recorder, the cleaning functionwith such cassettes can only be obtained by correct orientation of thecleaning cassette when in position in the cassette chamber of the taperecorder. For tape recorders having an automatic stop function erroneouspositioning will cause stopping of the tape recorder and/or ejection ofthe cleaning cassette to the discomfort and irritation of the user.

From DK-A-4683/81 a cleaning cassette is known, in which thisoperational disadvantage is remedied by a double drive arrangement forthe cleaning member in the form of a gear drive with two gearsjournalled in the cassette to enter into drive connection withrespective ones of the coil shafts of the tape recorder in the operativeposition and an intermediate gear engaging both of said gears and beingconnected with an eccentric cam device acting on the pivot arm for thecleaning member.

Thereby, the operation is facilitated so that a correct cleaningfunction is obtained independent of the orientation of the cleaningcassette, when it is positioned in the tape recorder, this beingobtained, however, at the expense of a more complicated and expensiveconstruction which, moreover, as a result of the drive connectionestablished through the gear drive has the disadvantage that the motorof the tape recorder shall operate through the driven shaft for thewinding coil not only the drive arrangement in the cleaning cassette butalso the shaft of the tape recorder for the feed or unwinding coil andthe transmission members connected therewith. In case of excessivefriction in the gear drive or the cleaning movement this may causestopping of the tape recorder.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to remedy the operationaldisadvantages of non-reversing cleaning cassettes with a simpler andcheaper construction with which no drive connection from the driven tothe non-driven coil shaft of the tape recorder is established in use ofthe cleaning cassette.

In order to achieve this object, a cleaning cassette according to theinvention is characterized in that the holder for the cleaning member ispivotally connected with said pivot arm in one end, whereas in the otherend it engages a further pivot arm which in said operative position isinfluencable by a second cam device engaging the other coil shaft of thetape recorder to perform a pivotal movement by rotation of said camdevice, whereby the holder is caused to move against the spring-biasacting on the first pivot arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawingwhich is a side view of a cleaning cassette constructed according to apreferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The cleaning cassette according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has a cassette casing 1 of the same shape and proportions as ausual tape cassette. In one longitudinal side 2 of the casing 1,openings 3, 4 and 5 are provided in a usual manner through which therecording/reproducing head, the capstan and the pinch roller of the taperecorder is brought into engagement with cleaning members in thecassette.

The cleaning member for the recording/reproducing head comprises acleaning body 6, such as a felt body, arranged in a holder 7 which isjournalled in the cassette casing 1 to be able to perform areciprocating cleaning movement parallel to the longitudinal side 2. Tothis end, the holder 7 may have a front plate 8 with protrudinglongitudinal edges engaging guide tracks in the major side walls of thecassette casing.

In usual manner the cassette casing 1 is provided with openings forintroduction of each of the coil shafts of the tape recorder. In theembodiment shown, cam devices 9 and 10, respectively, are arrangedconcentrically in a respective one of said openings, each of said camdevices having a circular cross section and three protruding cams 11.For engagement with the coil shafts, each cam device has an internalbore with ribs 12.

One end of the front plate 8 of the holder 7 is pivotally connected withone end of a pivot arm 14 journalled pivotally on a pivot pin 13, theopposite end of said pivot arm 14 being biased towards engagement withthe cam device 9 by a spring 15.

The opposite end of the front plate 8 of the holder 7 forms an abutmentfor one end of a second pivot arm 17 journalled pivotally on a pivot pin16. The opposite end of the pivot arm 17 engages the cam device 10.

The parts of pivot arms 14 and 17 engaging cam devices 9 and 10,respectively, are shaped and positioned in such a manner relative to thecam devices 9 and 10 that the spring-bias keeping pivot arm 14 intoengagement with the cam device 9 will press the front plate 8 intoengagement with the end of pivot arm 17 and will thereby in the positionshown keep the latter into engagement with the cam device 10.

If the cassette is positioned in operative position in the cassettechamber of a tape recorder with the cam device 9 engaging the drivenshaft, the rotation of the cam device 9 in the direction shown by anarrow 18 will act on pivot arm 14 against the bias from spring 15 eachtime the pivot arm 14 is passed by one of the cams 11. Thereby, in theembodiment shown, in which the pivot arm 17 engages the front plate 8without being connected therewith, the holder 7 will perform a linearmovement to the right without being followed by the pivot arm 17, andafter the passage of pivot arm 14 it will return to the illustrated restposition as a result of the spring bias. Even if the pivot arm 17 wasconnected with the front plate 8 and, thus, influenced to pivotalmovement by the reciprocating movement of the holder 7, such a movementwould not result in any rotary movement of the cam device 10.

If the cassette is positioned inversely in the tape recorder with thecam device 10 into engagement with driven shaft of the tape recorder,the rotation of the cam device 10 in the direction shown by an arrow 19will in a corresponding manner act on the pivot arm 17 at each passageof one of the cams 11 and, thereby, the pivot arm 17 will move theholder 7 to the right, whereby the pivot arm 14 is influenced againstthe spring bias. After passage of the cam 11 in question, the cam device10 will be returned to the illustrated rest position as a result of thereturn movement caused by the spring bias through the pivot arm 14 andthe holder 7. However, reciprocating movement of pivot arm will notresult in any movement of the cam device or the shaft of the taperecorder in engagement therewith, which in this case is the non-drivenshaft.

Thus, independent of the orientation of the cassette a reliable cleaningfunction is obtained without any drive connection being establishedthrough the cassette from the driven to the non-driven coil shaft of thetape recorder.

In the embodiment shown, pivot arms 14 and 17 engage separate,non-eccentric cam devices 9 and 10 positioned the cassette and havingprotruding cams 11. However, eccentric cam devices of the kind knownfrom the patent specifications mentioned hereinbefore may also be used.In some types of tape recorders, the coil shafts themselves may evenoperate as cam devices, so that the separate cam devices 9 and 10 may bedispensed with.

For the cleaning of the pinch roller and capstan of the tape recorder,the cleaning cassette may, in a manner known per se, have separatecleaning elements 20 which may have the form, for example, of a feltbody bent into U-shape and inserted in a holder 21 which is retractablefrom the cassette to enable replacement of this cleaning element whichunder use is subjected to a rather heavy contamination.

It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics of the present invention. The preferred embodiment istherefore to be considered illustrative and no restrictive. The scope ofthe invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing descriptions and all changes or variations which fall withinthe meaning and range of the claims are therefore intended to beembraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cleaning cassette for use in a cassette taperecorder for the cleaning of a recording/reproducing head thereof, saidrecorder having a first and a second coil shaft for engagement with eachof two coil drive members of a tape cassette, said cleaning cassettecomprising a cassette casing in which a spring-biased pivot arm ispivotally journalled and is influenced in the operative position of thecleaning cassette in a tape recorder by a cam device adapted to engageone of the coil shafts of the tape recorder, said pivot arm beingconnected with a holder of a cleaning member, said cleaning memberadapted to engage the recording/reproducing head in said operativeposition, said holder journalled in the cleaning cassette casing forlinear reciprocating movement along a path parallel to a longitudinalside of said cassette casing so as to cause said cleaning member toundergo a cleaning movement relative to the recording/reproducing headby the pivotal movement of the pivot arm caused by rotation of said camdevice, one end portion the holder pivotally connected with said pivotarm, the other end portion of said holder intermittently engageable by asecond pivot arm, said second pivot arm in said operative positioninfluenceable by a second cam device adapted to engage the other coilshaft of the tape recorder, said second pivot arm adapted to perform apivotal movement upon rotation of said second cam device and to move theholder against the spring-bias acting on the first pivot arm.
 2. Thecleaning cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said camdevices is of circular cross section and is adapted to concentricallyengage in said operative position with a respective one of the coildrive shafts introduced in said cassette casing, each of said camdevices provided with a number of cams along a surface engaging therespective pivot arm.
 3. The cleaning cassette as claimed in claim 2,wherein said cam devices comprise the coil drive shafts introduced inthe cassette casing in the operative position.
 4. A cleaning cassettecomprising:a cassette body provided with a mechanism having a cleaningbody attached to a reciprocable holder, whose action is suitable for acleaning magnetic head, said mechanism further including, a first arm,one end of which is pivotally secured to one end of said holder, withthe other end of said first arm provided with biasing means forfictionally engaging a first cam, said first cam engageable coaxiallywith a first cassette engaging drive means, said first arm centralportion being pivotally secured to the cassette body, a second armhaving a central portion pivotally secured to the cassette body, one endof said second arm intermittently spaced from the other end of saidholder with the other end of said second arm being intermittentlypivotable by action of a second cam engageable coaxially with a secondcassette engaging drive means, whereby operation of said second drivemeans causes intermittent contact between said second arm and the otherend of said support beam, against the action of said biasing means, sothat upon activation of either one of the first and second cassetteengaging drive means, the holder and the cleaning body are reciprocated.5. A cleaning cassette for use in a device having first and secondcassette-drive means, comprising:a cassette body; a holder provided witha cleaning body, said holder reciprocable relative to said cassettebody; first and second cams adapted to receive the first and secondcassette-drive means; a first arm including a first end portionpivotally connected to one end portion of said holder, an opposite endportion adjacent said first cam and an intermediate portion pivotallyconnected with said cassette body; biasing means for urging saidopposite end portion into frictional engagement with said first cam; asecond arm including a first end portion adjacent the other end portionof said holder, an opposite end portion located adjacent said second camand an intermediate portion pivotally connected with said cassette bodysuch that operation of said second cam causes said first end portion ofsaid second arm to intermittently move the holder against the action ofsaid biasing means, whereby either one of said first and second cams maybe operated to reciprocate said holder with the other cam remaining inan unoperated condition.